WlT^WlSDOM 



OF 



Christianity 



J, Freeman Howard 




Glass _B-fiJ-^-5 — 

Book tTLLS — - 

Copyright}^" — 



COFfRiGHT DEPOSm 



WIT AND WISDOM 
CHRISTIAlSriTY 



by 

J. FREEMAN HOWARD 



"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan 
The proper fiudy for mankind is MAN.*' 



Thos. H. Devereaux & Co. 
Publishers Chicago, U. S. A. 






ir=rr!?;u-T«-.»«*-' 



Two iloeies ?r«r?Mv«d 

SEP 12 1904 

class' ^ XXc. No, 
' COPY B 



CopyrIg*Qtl9C4 
by Thob. H. BiiTXRUAux 

CHICAGO 



All rights reserved 



DEDICATION. 

To all those desirous of attaining a 
sublime understanding of the '^ Grand 
Old Book'' which heretofore may have 
seemed so unfathomable, and still so 
wonderfully uplifting, the author hum- 
bly dedicates this volume. 



FOREWOKD. 

This is not a book of opinion concern- 
ing traditions, beliefs, customs, cere- 
monies or forms promoted by man. 
It is a book pertaining to Life, speaking 
the ^^ Truth'' of the human heart which 
is the true Light of every man. 



SUBJECT INDEX. 









Page. 


Evolution of Faith 11 


Finding Wisdom 






15 


Side Lights on Christianity 






19 


The Professional Christian . 






27 


Body and Soul 






35 


Joy Not Sorrow 






49 


Intellectual Life 






53 


The Vail of Moses 






67 


Faith as the Foundation 






77 


Cultivating Our Field . 






87 


Developing Morality 






97 


"Ologies" AND *' Isms'* . 






115 


The Reasons Why 






141 


Guessing and Knowing . 






151 



WIT AND WISDOM 
CHRISTIAlSriTY 



WIT DEFINED. 

Wit— ''What oft was thought, but 
ne'er so well expressed.'' — Pope. 

'*Wit is a propriety of thoughts and 
words ; or, in other terms, thoughts and 
words elegantly adapted to the sub- 
ject.'* — Dry den. 



WISDOM DEFINED. 

'Incredulity is the source of all wis- 
dom. ' ' — A ristotle, 

'Wisdom consists in tracing ignor- 
ance, back as far as possible.'' — Boyer 
Collard. 



EVOLUTION OF FAITH. 

**He that refuseth instruction despiseth 
his own soul.''— Prof. XV. 32. 

Beginning with a mere character or 
letter, the school-boy in seeking an edu- 
cation assumes an attitude of willing- 
ness to learn by carefully following in- 
structions and taking for granted the 
statements of his teacher without ques- 
tioning their truth. 

Progressing day by day he soon ac- 
quires an idea, and then positive knowl- 

U 



WIT AND WISBOM 

edge concerning things which he accept- 
ed in the beginning only through the 
agency of FAITH. 

The extent of knowledge obtained is 
proportioned to the faithfulness with 
which he accepts and retains instruction 
from the time he first sees the letters 
take on the form of words, until the 
words through his sense of perception 
evolve into objects ; then by intuition his 
mind naturally broadens into a greater 
scope of understanding, through which 
he entirely loses sight of the ^* letter '' 
by realizing the ^^ subject'' as readily as 
he at first perceived the character or 
letter. 

12 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

A general knowledge thus attained 
qualifies liim for the higher studies 
which must be followed in the develop- 
ment of any profession he may select. 

With renewed ambition he again 
starts as a * ^ school-boy ' ' of science and 
is assigned to a class where he must ex- 
hibit the same degree of faith and will- 
ingness with which he entered upon his 
studies as a pupil of the ^'letter;'' but 
now possessing the advantages of a stu- 
dent, he soon acquires new opinions, 
which, by the further development of his 
faculties, gradually unfold into facts 
and understanding. 

13 



\V IT AND W I S D O M 

At this point lie emerges from the 
schools of instruction with the ^'^^eward 
of knowledge '^ attained only through 
faith, willingness and effort. 

Enlisting in the great ' ' army of prog- 
ress" he assumes command of the prac- 
tical application of his talents by which 
he acquires the necessities and luxuries 
of life, but resigns their greater develop- 
ment of ^^ Wisdom'^ to the guiding hand 

of FAITH. 

And **His lord said unto him, Well 
done, thou good and faithful servant : 
thou hast been faithful over a few 
things, I will make thee ruler over 
many things.''— Matt. ZXy.21. 



14 



FINDING WISDOM. 

** Wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light 
excelleth darkness.'' — Eccl. 77.13. 

Every person has two educations, one 
of which he receives by instruction from 
others, and a more important one he 
acquires through experience and self- 
culture. Therefore a man re-entering 
the field of learning, in search of Wis- 
dom, finds himself confronted with the 
same requisites of faith, willingness and 
effort which were expected of him in his 
earlier work, with the exception, how- 

15 



WIT AND WISDOM 

ever, that becoming his own instructor 
the entire Faith must be placed in him- 
self. 

Delving into the literary works of the 
world for reference and instruction he 
finds that the greatest authors and com- 
pilers exhibit a wonderful inward assur- 
ance of the correctness of their own 
ideas and opinions regarding temporal 
affairs, but upon the Greater things of 
universal interest they treat indefinitely, 
and invariably refer to the Scriptures 
as the Inspired source of information. 

Concluding that the Bible possesses 
Superior Knowledge he decides to seek 
ITS instruction as a ^' school-boy'^ of 

16 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Christianity, and upon finding that the 
Scriptures tell what the reward of mul- 
tiplying one's talents shall be, assumes 
that somewhere therein he will find how 
or what to do to attain the reward. 

Proceeding upon this course with the 
same degree of willingness and faith he 
is not only rewarded by understanding 
the simple things, but by obedience to 
its precepts, his mind gradually awak- 
ens to the great conceptions which have 
been in store for him, until he under- 
stands the truth and reality of the deep- 
est teachings disclosed in the ^^Beauti- 
ful Story" of the future. 

*^Seek, and ye shall ^nd.''— Luke XI, 9. 

17 



WIT AND WISDOM 



*' Christianity is not a theory or specu- 
lation, but a life and a living process/' 
— Coleridge. 



^The Christian has greatly the advan- 
tage of the unbeliever, having every- 
thing to gain and nothing to lose/' — 
Byron. 



'^Whatever makes men good Christians, 
makes them good citizens/' — Daniel 
V/ebster. 



18 



SIDE LIGHTS ON CHEISTIANITY. 

** Forsake the foolish, and live; and go 
in the way of understanding/' — Prov. 
7X.6. 

The prizes of Life are sought by all 
men, and yet there are many who refuse 
to take any active part in the great race 
through the expectation that some one 
will bring them the reward they hope 
for; in this way burying their talents 
and overlooking the fact that others 
have their own to account for. 

We find various theories advanced as 
to the true meaning of Christianity ; but 

19 



WIT AND WISDOM 

the Scripture teaching clearly shows 
that Christianity is the science of 
''Life,'' and not simply '^the science of 
human duty and the duty of man to 
man,'' as claimed by IngersoU. 

To BE a Christian is to understand the 
'^Divine Realization" from which the 
Scriptures were written, and IngersoU 's 
failure in pointing out the ^'Mistakes of 
Moses" serves to illustrate the want of 
this principle of human attainment so 
little understood, as 



'Strait is the gate, and narrow is the 
way, which leadeth unto life, and few 
there be that find if— Matt. F//.14. 



20 



OF CHRIS TIAISTITY 

The human understanding will never 
need to be exerted to a maximum to de- 
cide whether it was Moses or Ingersoll 
that knew Christ. 

From the works of Ingersoll we see 
that in reading the Bible from a purely 
literal and material point of view he 
failed to realize the true spirit of its 
meaning, and through the limitation of 
perception condemned it; but we must 
admit that he was possessed with a mind 
sufficiently strong to forestall the ac- 
ceptance of traditional theories, ex- 
ploited in so perplexing a manner that 
not only the average person becomes 
thoroughly bewildered, but even the 

21 



T/IT AISTB WISDOM 



great mind of Ingersoll abandoned the 
idea of ever being able to understand. 



''Let no man deceive himself. If any 
man among yon seemeth to be wise in 
this world, let him become a fool, that 
he may be wise." — 1 Cor, 7/7.18. 

From the works of Moses it may be 
clearly seen that the failure of Ingersoll 
to interpret properly the teachings of 
the Old Testament was due to the * ^ Mis- 
take of IngersolP' in failing to remove 
the ^^vaiP' which the Scriptures plainly 
tell us exists even unto this day *^when 
Moses is read''; clearly showing that 
the fault was in Ingersoll and not in the 
Bible, and fully demonstrating that 

22 



OF C IT 11 I S T I A N I T X 

^ ^ the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth 
life/ '-2 Cor. III. 6. 

Thomas Paine may have perceived the 
future greatness of our country more 
clearly than any other man of his time, 
but the writings of this natural revolu- 
tionist plainly show that even his great 
scope of perception was confined to 

things MATERIAL. 

*'For the things which are seen are 
temporal ; but the things which are not 
seen are eternal/' — 2 Cor. /y.l8. 

Spencer tells us that religion is a 
^ theory of the unknown '^ but as every- 
thing a man knows nothing about is a 
theory to him, we find no consolation in 

33 



WIT AND WISDOM 

accepting this view and must assume 
that it is another honest attempt to en- 
lighten the world on a subject, not hav- 
ing known the Subject. 

*'For there is nothing covered, that 
shall not be revealed ; neither hid, that 
shall not be known/' — Luke X77.2. 

All men are endowed with special tal- 
ents and many appear very proficient, 
but we should not take for granted that 
they have all multiplied the particular 
talents meriting reward. 

The atheist represents the servant 
who hid his lord's talent in the earth 
through a lack of Faith to believe in and 
then realize its true value, and we can- 

24 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

not expect to be instructed from such 
sources concerning the great realization 
of Christianity. 

**Take heed, beware of the leaven of the 
Pharisees/'— Marfc VIIL15, 

Obstinacy is a subsoil of human char- 
acter which supports atheism and infi- 
delity ; this should be dispelled and sup- 
planted by sufficient faith to enable the 
sinner to ^'put on the new man, which is 
renewed in knowledge after the image 
that created him.' '--Col. 777.10. 

The man who has no opinion of his 
own lacks individuality, and is a living 
automaton without the interesting fea- 
tures of modern mechanism. 

25 



^Y 1 T ANB WISDOM 

The wise man changes his mind, but 
a fool has none to change and we find by 
the Scriptures that this was known ages 
ago and reduced to a proverb, and if we 
care to adopt a hint intended for us we 
will be profited by it. 

* * Speak not in the ears of a fool : for he 
will despise the wisdom of thy words." 
—Prov. XXIIL9. 



26 



THE PROFESSIONAL CHRISTIAN. 

^*This people draweth nigh unto me 
with their mouth, and honoureth me 
with their lips; but their heart is far 
fromme.''— Ma^^. XF.8. 

One of the greatest diflficulties en- 
countered by Christianity was, and is, 
that it is so much easier to claim to be 
than to BE ; and looking into the nature 
of human things one cannot but notice 
the striking difference displayed by 
members of congregations in nearly all 
churches. / 

It reminds one of looking into a great 
garden where we find trees bearing fruit 

27 



WIT AND TTISDOM 

of different kinds; some of which pre- 
sent a scant display of foliage but a 
very abundant supply of fruit, showing 
a ^^pure" condition of inward develop- 
ment; while on the other hand the pre- 
dominating kind compares with the fig 
trees of India which Pliny tells us have 
a foliage of leaves ' ' as broad as targets, 
but fruit no bigger than a bean." 

The person making the great outward 
display of the ^ ^foliage" of Christian- 
ity entirely overlooks the fact that out 
of the windows in the heart of his mon- 
strous body there looks the *^ small 
fruit," sustained only by what little 
light shines through the crevices in a 

28 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

cloak of hypocrisy about him; and for 
his lean and feeble soul the self-seeking 
'^professional'' Christian expects to 
inherit a ''Crown of Glory'' and Eter- 
nal Life, as a tribute from his Creator 
in exchange for his ''outward" appear- 
ances and the supposed good of his pres- 
ence in church. 

*^For man looketh on the outward ap- 
pearances, but the Lord looketh on the 
heart/'— 1 ^am. ZF/.T. 

Christianity is founded upon Faith, 
Honesty and Truth, and a prayer from 
the pew of a hypocrite is an abomina- 
tion to God and an insult to Christianity, 

29 



WIT AND WISDOM 

as the Faith must be in the person and 
not in the creed. 

*'When thou vowest a vow unto God, 
defer not to pay it. ' ' — Eccl. VA, 

Some go to church occasionally as if 
by mechanical prompting and no matter 
how accurately and faithfully the text 
may be exploited, or how excellent the 
sermon, unless it relates to a topic ap- 
pealing to their material nature it takes 
no root; for the soil is ^ ^barren'' in the 
church-goer who leaves his Faith be- 
hind, and serves Satan under a brilliant 
cloak of righteousness which makes the 
^'smalP' man appear great only when he 

30 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

agrees with the multitude. But these 
shall be divided 

^^as a shepherd divideth his sheep from 
the goats : and he shall set the sheep on 
his right hand, but the goats on the 
MV—Matt. XZy.32.33. 

Many of these ^^ Scribes and Phari- 
sees'' can be found among the ^'mem- 
bers'' of various congregations, and hav- 
ing less faith than the school-boy, deny 
that any positive knowledge of Chris- 
tianity can be had more than a mere 
belief in the statements of others. The 
result is that men stay at home or sleep 
during the services, while the women 
vie in the domains of fashion and 

31 



WIT AND WISBOM 

without making any effort to understand 
for themselves, simply resign their 
future welfare to the hands of time and 
fate, having but a vague and uncertain 
hope by refusing to place any Faith in 
things ^^ unseen/^ 

*'The kingdom of God eometh not with 
observation. '^—Lwfee XVII, 20. 

Such classes are not only indisposed 
to go to church, but find fault after be- 
ing there and scoff at the idea of having 
faith in anything but material things 
which they can see and easily under- 
stand, and by contributing a few dol- 
lars per annum for a comfortable seat 

32 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

or pew in the parish church they expect 
their future welfare will be well cared 
for by their pastor and that the King- 
dom of Heaven may be reached without 
walking the ^^ strait and narrow'' path. 

** Every one of us shall give account of 
himself to God.''— Bom, XIV. 12. 

All men differ to some extent in 
understanding the meaning of language, 
and this is due chiefly to the state of 
moral and intellectual development, the 
advanced stages of which place a clear 
and accurate construction upon it, which 
enables them to comprehend the great 
things in a saying, while others see noth- 

33 



W IT AND W I S B O M 

ing in it and call it foolishness. The lat- 
ter class we find measuring everything 
with the ^^ short'' tapeline they carry, 
which never reaches around anything 
greater than ^^foolishness," and as the 
old standard has afforded them so much 
satisfaction its use, we presume, will be 
continued. 

* ^ In the mouth of the foolish is a rod 
of pride."— Prw. XIV. 3. 



34 



BODY AND SOUL. 

'^Hearken diligently unto me, and eat 
ye that which is good, and let your soul 
delight itself in f atness. ' '— 7s. LV2, 

The man who feeds the body and 
starves the soul can be compared with 
a cart having a large wheel on one side 
and a small one on the other, both are 
all right for the side-hill work ; but they 
are very unevenly balanced when either 
at the top or the bottom; the fault in 
either one can be remedied at once by 



35 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

acquiring a little higher development 
on the lowly developed side. 

* ' To the hungry soul every bitter thing 
is ^weeV—Prov. XXVIIJ. 

We should not allow our thoughts to 
sink where they should rise, but study 
the ^'Lessons of Life" seriously as they 
guide man's mind into the ^'One Way'' 
of profitable research by which he be- 
comes awakened to a consciousness be- 
yond that confined to the gratification 
of the senses and is enabled to banish 
the distrust of his own abilities and be 
a whole man at everything. 

'^Fear not them which kill the body," 
*^but rather fear him which is able to 

destroy both soul and body.'' — Matt, 

Z.28. 36 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Doubt will cramp the energy while 
Faith will expand it. 

^* Faith means to believe something 
we cannot see, the reward of which is 
to have onr belief fulfilled'^; and the 
Scriptures define it as ^Hhe assurance 
of things hoped for, and the conviction 
of things not seen/' 

Every righteous effort put forth aids 
us to kill a doubt in our own ability to 
attain a greater altitude of Faith, which 
serves as the principal Light in follow- 
ing the ^'narrow path'' upon which so 
many founder on their earthly voyage. 

Belief is the incipient power of 

37 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

TRUTH, and is the essential feature for 
the future welfare of mankind. 

Christianity is the link, or tie, con- 
necting man with his Creator and the 
Bible serves as a guide-post on every 
corner of the journey pointing the way 
to Eternal Life, and like the guide-post 
never starts off in the direction it points, 
but remains on duty to enlighten every 
traveler on his way to God's world. 

To stand still before the guide-post is 
to give up hope, as the destination will 
certainly not be reached without fur- 
ther effort on our part; and although 
the fortunate have always been willing 
to lend a helping hand to the victims of 

38 



OF CHRISTIAISriTY 

accident, industry absolutely refuses to 
support idleness. 

''The lips of the righteous feed many: 
but fools die for want of wisdom." — 
Prov. Z.21. 

The Bible has withstood all the con- 
flicts between the principles of theology 
and science, and still stands, silently 
holding forth the same Divine reward 
to enrich the hearts of all mankind who 
drink in the true meaning of its Sacred 
Words which repetition has never weak- 
ened, and criticism and historical re- 
search have failed to remove from their 
exalted position, around which all hu- 
manity gather, when they seek the true 

39 



WIT AND T\^ISI>OM 

medium of God's revelation of Redeem- 
ing Love for the world. 

Its teaching is very explicit througli- 
out that man must accomplish a great 
work to enjoy a higher state of exist- 
ence, and no where in it do we find that 
sitting in the seat of idleness, or bask- 
ing in the sunshine of expectancy will 
attain for us the true realization of its 
precepts. 

We cannot, therefore, look to the in- 
tellectual or historical knowledge of who 
the first man and woman were and when 
or where they existed as a means of Re- 
demption ; for if the wonderful allegory 
of Adam and Eve and the Garden of 

40 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Eden should be limited to sueh a sense- 
less view as this, the Bible as a medium 
of Salvation would long since have been 
counted among the useless relics of man- 
kind. 

It may be possible that the influence 
of superstition and fear, the remaining 
relics of barbarism and idolatry, are still 
of sufficient strength to divert the atten- 
tion of the present generation from a 
more extended and careful study of the 
Inspired Teachings, but the clearness of 
man^s own reasoning should prevent 
him from accepting traditional theories 
and antiquated creeds held forth by 
some worshipper of a material idol, or 

41 



WIT AND TTISDOM 

some false prophet entertaining a mis- 
conception of spiritual trnth, tlie true 
sense-meaning of whicli can be heard 
only by listening to the voice of the 
Bible, which speaks the Luminous words 
of revealed knowledge with Divine au- 
thority, unaffected by outward influence 
or primitive conception. 

^*For other foundation can no man lay 
than that is laid, which is Jesus 
Christ.'^— 1 Cor. IIIll. 

There is but one destination at which 
we can possibly arrive if we allow our- 
selves to start and continue in the wrong 
direction, and any attempt to follow tra- 
dition and idolatry leads up to a point 

42 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

from which we may descend by any one 
of many roads. 

We must acknowledge that it is the 
Larger and Grander meaning, within 
the words of the Scriptures, that contin- 
ues to hold ^Hhe flaming sword/' which 
as a guide for us at all times points for- 
ward, indicating the ^^ Way'' of life, and 
the manner in which we should apply the 
powers and faculties with which we are 
endowed if we would attain that degree 
of Eternal Knowledge so beautifully ex- 
pressed and faithfully recorded in the 
Sacred Book. 

A fool is self-sufficient, while the wise 
man goes on gathering wisdom; so do 

43 



WIT AND WISDOM 

not wrap tlie tree of your mind with the 
wire of refusal and prevent its develop- 
ment, as the laws of God are natural and 
unchangeable. 

The Christian world acknowledges the 
Bible to be true, therefore an investiga- 
tion of its truth and the elucidation of 
it is not considered sacrilegious. Our 
Creator gave us true minds that we 
might not look at things in a perverted 
light; the Bible and the mind being per- 
fect works of God let us violate neither, 
but if our minds are dwarfed let us de- 
velop them. 

The instructor interested in teaching 
a boy who does not want to learn serene- 

44 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ly descends to a plane where tlie mental- 
ity can be exerted in an effective and 
deserving manner, thus making a gentle- 
man and a scholar out of nothing. Bnt 
the unruly scholars of Christianity have 
grown so large and strong, so uncon- 
cerned and shiftless concerning the 
school of Life that the great Teachers 
are no longer found amongst us but have 
left the Scriptures with which to re-es- 
tablish the ^^Age of Enlightenment'^ by 
living lives in ieeping with Nature's 
laws. 

Exercise the mind and engage the 
heart and you will soon find it possible 
to survey ^^This Higher World'' of 

45 



WIT AND WISBOM 

thought from a moral and intellectual 
elevation which places you within reach 
of the sphere in life which Providence 
has assigned for you. 

Bear in mind, without a thought of 
fame, that Christ has continually led the 
way and holds the extended hand of 
help to all who will concentrate their 
energies to attain the altitude in Life 
which can be reached by self-develop- 
ment through inward assurance and 
Faith, without affecting the happiness 
of mankind. 



*For whoso findeth me findeth life/'- 
Prov. VIILS5. 



46 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

If we have misinterpreted the Bible 
let US learn where and how we have done 
so. Hearsay is not proof and man 
should not be satisfied until he knows 
for himself, as the Master gives us no 
license to depend upon others or exter- 
nal doings as a means of redemption, 
but says, 

'*I am the door: by me if any man en- 
ter in, he shall be saved. ' ' — John X.9. 



47 



WIT ANB WISDOM 



''It is a great dishonor to religion to 
imagine that it is an enemy to mirth 
and cheerfulness, and a severe exaeter 
of pensive looks and solemn faces/' — 
Walter Scott. 



'Joy is more divine than sorrow, for 
joy is bread and sorrow is medicine/' 
— Beecher. 



"Earth hath no sorrow that heaven 
cannot heal/' — Moore. 



48 



JOY, NOT SORROW. 

* ' Eat thy bread with joy. ' '—Eccl IX. 1. 

Job tells us that ^^all the sons of God 
shouted for joy" and we should not as- 
sume that they lost their piety by doing 
so; as 

'*A merry heart doeth good like a medi- 
cine: but a broken spirit drieth the 
bones."— Prw. Xy/Z.22. 

Erroneous ideas are in vogue as to the 
outward appearance a Christian should 
assume; some believing it improper to 
carry even a small supply of genuine 
humor, and by adhering to this policy 

49 



WIT AND WISDOM 

they confine the mortal joys of man to 
those having no regard for their Crea- 
tor. 

**A man hath no better thing under the 
sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to 
be merry:''— ^ccL 7/77.15. 

Christianity does not mean a long face 
upon which tears of piety must run 
without a rippling joy of life; and the 
Sacred Scriptures in no way condemns 
the enjoyment and pleasures of man, 
but undertakes to increase them, as is 
well illustrated by many precepts. 

*' These things have I spoken unto you, 
that my joy might remain in you, and 
that your joy might be full.'' — John 

xy.ii. 

50 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Many think it necessary to have 
patches on their knees and pnrses with- 
out scrip; while others believe they 
should look out of Jacob's membrane 
through the spectacles of a pessimist and 
continually exhibit the feeling that the 
end of righteousness is almost at hand. 

Sorrow is an invention contrived by 
the enemy of man and while all of us 
have some of it, we should not make it 
a point to entertain such bad company. 

''Therefore remove sorrow from thy 
heart."— JSJccL X/.IO. 

A theological pessimist deserves the 
greatest pity and should be extended 
the helping hand, until he has attained 

51 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

a safe foothold upon the ^^ foundation of 
the Prophets and Apostles, ' ' when some 
of their great aphorisms might be gen- 
tly spoken of and the perfection of cre- 
ation considered. 

We all have a feeling that there is 
nothing too good for us, yet we never 
fully enjoy a thing until we know how 
good it is, and a failure to understand 
Christianity precludes us from the en- 
joyment of a real comfort. 

** Heaviness in the heart of man maketh 
it stoop: but a good word maketh it 
g\sLd.''—Prov. X/7.25. 



52, 



INTELLECTUAL LIFE. 

« 

*'But in vain do they worship me, 
teaching for doctrines the command- 
ments of men.''— Matt. XV. 9. 

The ^^ Wheat'' should be preserved by 
rooting up the ^' tares.'' 

Christianity undertakes to do this and 
makes no distinction for those existing 
in the minds of even the men we call 
great. 

The number of links in a chain of logic 
will not increase its strength but their 
multiplicity confuses the mind and en- 

53 



WIT AND WISDOM 

lists attention that might be spent to 
better advantage, for as soon as the 
weak link has been discovered the value 
of the chain is destroyed. 

While this pursuit may be very pleas- 
ant and interesting it is not found good 
enough, and we long for a ^'Rock'' to 
stand on instead of the sinking sand on 
the desert of logic. 

''Beware lest any man spoil you 
through philosophy and vain deceit, 
after the tradition of men, after the 
rudiments of the world, and not after 
Christ/'— CoJ. 77.8. 

Logic is good in its place but it is lim- 
ited, and when Saul saw a Greater Light 
54 



OF CPIRISTIAiSriTY 

than logic he became a servant of it 
and refused to recognize the authority 
of those not possessing it. 

Thousands have crossed the waters 
and journeyed through the burning sand 
to what tradition calls the ^^holy land"; 
here they have looked upon the lake of 
Galilee, walked the streets of Jerusalem 
and visited the little village of Nazareth. 

While the journey may have been de- 
lightful and pleasant, history fails to 
record a single instance where any one 
has returned with any tangible evidence 
or solid information, which, to some 
seems inexplicable; but before begin- 
ning the voyage these people may never 

55 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

have read as mucli as a single chapter 
of the New Testament with understand- 
ing, and in the second place they are 
among the class of unconscious ma- 
terialists listening to the veritable 
creatures of ^^ obstinacy" who have also 
existed since Bible times, speaking with 
man^s voice. 

*'If the blind lead the blind, both shall 
fall into the ditch.''— Matt, XV. U. 

These people having the ** limited 
idea'^ of the Savior believe that He was 
born only two thousand years ago, and 
lived but thirty-three years, at the close 
of which He was crucified at the hands 
of a peculiar sect, and that this consti- 

56 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

tuted an atonement for the sins of the 
whole world in a vicarious sense. 

*' Before Abraham was, I am/' — John 
VIIL58. 

This idea exists, even among the 
classes we call educated, and we fre- 
quently find them making the long jour- 
ney to a place where they willingly call 
upon and support the charlatans of 
Christianity, who for ages have fur- 
nished all the convincing proof required 
by credulity. 

The demand created the supply and 
the fakirs of Palestine have contrived 
interesting features, and all religious 

57 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

relics necessary to part the fool and his 
money. 

These people return with hearts en- 
gaged in perusing the pages of ancient 
history. Josephus is read from end to 
end, and to their astonishment not a 
single tradition they have heard is re- 
lated in it. 

Investigation shows that all manner 
of excuses have been made and unjust 
criticism heaped upon Josephus for his 
failure to give an historical account of 
the life and works of Christ, and some 
one feeling an imaginary sting by his 
inconceivable silence undertook to com- 
plete the history of the Jews by insert- 

58 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ing a chapter into his work promoting 
the materialistic idea of Christ, which, 
being false, naturally fell of its own 
weight. 

The Bible being perfect and complete 
in itself, sheds its own light, and no 
other proof is necessary except onr un- 
derstanding of it, which enables us to 
KNOW its truth, and to know a thing is 
perfect proof and gives a complete sat- 
isfaction, not afforded by Palestine or 
the captivating fables of antiquity. 

Until the true Light is in our hearts 
we are without Him, and need to be 
awakened from the Adamic sleep, that 
we may hear the voice of the Lord. Man 

59 



WIT AND WISDOM 

evolves into greater perceptions every 
day in life, and as we look back over the 
past we know not what the future still 
has in store for us, but as we have al- 
ways found more and more, and realized 
new things in succession we have a right 
to anticipate that we may know more 
than our pride now considers the sum- 
mit, for the river of Life has been 
crossed heretofore, and we have a rec- 
ord of the swirls to be met by ourselves, 
which should be thoroughly understood 
that we may not go as ^^ sheep to the 
slaughter. ' ' 

It is commonly believed that Chris- 
tianity began with the Christian era, but 

60 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

by the true nnderstandiiig of the Scrip- 
tures its origin may be traced back to 
the beginning of man's existence. 

*^I was set up from everlasting^ from 
the beginning, or even the earth was. ' ' 
—Prov, VIIL23. 

Christ is the true Light born in and 
to the human heart, and the recipients 
of this Light are called Christians, but 
the true meaning of a Christian has 
been so perverted that a belief com- 
monly prevails that the great men of the 
past were instructed by a personal 
teacher whose sayings they repeated, in- 
stead of speaking their own words from 

61 



WIT AND WISDOM 

personal knowledge through the gift of 
this realization to their hearts. 

^^Know ye not your own selves, how that 
Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be 
reprobates?' '—2 Cor. X7/Z.5. 

A glance at the chronological order of 
the Bible should serve to throw enough 
light to disperse such errors, but as we 
are in an age of ^^ reason" instead of a 
^^ spiritual' ' age it must be presumed 
that the intellect will not be satisfied to 
be taught by the Spirit, for it is limited 
to the domain of theories and arguments 
and always guesses about Infinite things 
while a mind illumined by Him 

KNOWS. 

62 



OF" CHRISTIANITY 

Jesus means ^^that which will save us 
from our sins ' ' and is a synonym of the 
word Immanuel. Many have doubts 
about being saved^ and are unconscious 
of the immortality of their souls which 
shows that the ^^True Light/' 

'^ which lighteth every man that eometh 
into the world." — John 7.9. 

is not in their hearts. 

The words Jesus and Christ are also 
synonyms. Jesus Christ has always ex- 
isted, exists now, and will continue to 
exist, ^^The same yesterday, and today, 
and forever," not as a physical being, 
but as the Spirit of God in the hearts of 
mQVL.-Heh. XIIL8. 

63 



WIT AND WISDOM 

This is beautifully symbolized in tlie 
allegorical words 

^^Have I been so long time with you, 
and yet hast thou not known me, Phil- 
ip r'—/o/i^ XIV. 9. 

If a trip to Palestine would purify our 
hearts, and quicken our devotion to 
Truth and induce a greater possession 
of morality and righteousness by which 
we might open the door of our hearts 
and let Him in it would, indeed, be prof- 
itable, but the perfection of creation 
makes all lands ^^holy" and it is unnec- 
essary for the ^'pure in heart" to seek 
God in the fields of Palestine. 

64 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

^^ Behold, I stand at the door and knock: 
if any man hear my voice, and open 
the door, I will come into him, and 
will sup with him, and he with me." 
—Eev. 111,20. 

The Biblical meaning of Nazareth 
is not a topographical location, but has 
a special meaning when interpreted, sig- 
nifying to ^^ branch" out into perfection, 
or become ^^ sanctified" by the posses- 
sion of a pure heart, which gives man a 
true knowledge of his Eternal inherit- 
ance in the Kingdom of God and con- 
stitutes the birth of the Savior in his 
heart by which he becomes the image 
and likeness of God as described in Gen- 
esis, and called ^^His Son" in the New 

65 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

Testament, and the peocess of un- 
FOLDMENT by which this result is ob- 
tained is called Nazareth. 

Christ is ^^ raised" or ^ ^formed'' in 
us. Eead Gal. IV.19 and I Cor. XV.17, 
Nazareth produces the Savior, and He 
comes into the individual consciousness 
through the natural laws of evolution, 
after which, man has conquered mortal- 
ity and is redeemed from sin and 
^^ death," thereby entering triumphantly 
into the new Jerusalem, which means 
Eternal Life, instead of remaining in 
the ^^Old City" which is sure to be de- 
stroyed. 

'^All things are possible to him that be* 
lieveth/'— MarA; ZX.23. 

66 



THE VAIL OF MOSES. 

^'Unto the Jews a stumbling block." — 
1 Cor. 7.23. 

The Scriptures plainly state that 
^^ there is a natural body, and there is a 
spiritual body."-/ Cor. XV AL The 
meaning of the ^^ spiritual" is the 
attainment of immortal consciousness, 
as explained in I Cor. XV.47, and is 
.beautifully illustrated in the third chap- 
ter of John by the parable to Nicodemus, 
upon whose heart the ^Wail" of Moses 
still remained. 

67 



WIT AND WISDOM 

The ^^vail" of Moses symbolizes the 
misinterpretation of Divine Law by 
the Jews, upon which they formed 
the basis for their religious conduct; 
and while proceeding under this false 
impression they lost sight of the true 
understanding of the teachings of Moses, 
thereby drifting from a generation of 
Prophetic realization, down to a plane 
of heathenism where they completely 
sacrificed their own spiritual develop- 
ment in seeking the sins of others and 
inflicting the penalties of vengeance, 
which they supposed were provided for, 
by the literal interpretation of ^^an eye 
for an eye" and a ^^ tooth for a tooth. '^ 

68 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

^^ Recompense to no man evil for evil." 
—Rom, X//.17. 

Continuing on this plane as slaves to 
their own passions, sin grew to mean 
any outward manifestation contrary to 
their mistaken ideas; and was immedi- 
ately met and punished by inflicting the 
penalties of persecution; eventually re- 
sulting in the annihilation of every sem- 
blance of Divine realization attained by 
the Prophets, thereby plunging the 
^^ prophetic age" and its glory into the 
depths of darkness and despair. 

^^But their minds were blinded;" ^^even 
unto this day, when Moses is read, the 
vail is upon their heart." — 2 Cor, III. 
1445. 

69 



WIT AISri> WISBOM 

This impregnable ^^vaiP' fortified the 
hearts of the Jews against any new at- 
tainment of character or development 
of mind and promoted the advance of 
their false doctrine in following the 
^ tradition of the elders'' on their mem- 
orable march through the great abyss 
of time bridging the period of oblivion 
existing between Prophetic and Apos- 
tolic revelation. 

^^ Heaven and earth shall pass away, 
but my words shall not pass away.'' 
—Matt. XZ/y.35. 

The records of time fail to reveal the 
exact duration of the period covering 
the supposed dormant condition of Di- 

70 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

vine realization, as no expression of its 
existence was possible while the ^'vaiP' 
remained. 

But the Divine Inspiration was cher- 
ished in the hearts of men as a ^^ hidden 
wisdom'^ 

^^The hidden wisdom, which God or- 
dained before the world." — 1 Cor. II Jl. 

during its silent evolution as evidenced 
in the fact that it burst forth and cre- 
ated a new era of civilization, fulfilling 
the prophecy of the Old Testament, by 
the presence of Christ, ^^ blotting out 
the handwriting of ordinances that was 
against us"— (7oZ. 77.14, lifting the ^Wail 

71 



T^IT AND WISBOM 

of Moses" through the glorious real- 
ization and perfection developed in the 
Apostles, giving us the New Tes- 
tament, which abolishes the Jewish tra- 
dition of ^^ literal interpretation" and 
proclaims the true conception of ^^pro- 
phetic writings" in the Sermon on the 
Mount. 

^^For I say unto you^ That except your 
righteousness shall exceed the right- 
eousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, 
ye shall in no case enter into the king- 
dom of Heaven."— Maff. 7.20. 

The New and Old Testament being 
alike with the exception of forms of lan- 
guage used to express the same mean- 

72 



OF CHRISTIAlSriTY 

ing. Read Matt. F.17-18. The same 
evolution and development of Divine in- 
spiration attained by the Prophets was 
re-realized by the Apostles, this being 
how it was known that the New Testa- 
ment was the fulfillment of the Old, and 
also accrediting the Prophets and Apos- 
tles with the Divine authorship of the 
Holy Scriptures, which is shown by 
many of its passages. 

The question might here arise as to 
why the Divine realization did not con- 
tinue and assume a broader scope at 
this time. But in answering we only 
have to refer to the historical past, when 
the moral and educational facilities for 

73 



T\^IT AND WISDOM 

the enlightenment of Christianity were 
condemned by the Eoman emperors as 
superstition and heresy, for which the 
severest penalties known in the annals 
of persecution were inflicted. 

While ignorance may serve somewhat 
as a commutation, it must be said, that 
the darkest stains on the pages of his- 
tory rest upon the heads of the Eoman 
tyrants, who, for centuries, employed 
every available means to exterminate 
the teaching of Christianity and annihi- 
late the Christians by which the Temple 
of God was forsaken and the ^^True 
Light" abandoned for the burning lakes 
of heathenism, culminating in the ^^Dark 

74 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Ages" when innocent blood sacrifices 
were made and idols of heathenism wor- 
shiped by the sects, while superstitious 
creeds and the influence of priest-craft 
divided the localities and parted the na- 
tions, involving dissensions and strife, 
wars and persecution resulting in the 
destruction of Belief and Faith in Chris- 
tian realization after which it again van- 
ished by the darkness of degeneracy. 

'^Be not deceived; God is not mocked: 
for whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap." — Gal, YISl, 

As tyranny provoked the inevitable 
point of resistance and gave way, the re- 
instatement of Christianity gradually 

75 



WIT ANI) WISI> OM 

progressed until the understanding of 
its trnth has become somewhat re-real- 
ized through the moral and educational 
facilities adopted under the ruling power 
of freedom and encouraged by the lib- 
erty of speech which has afforded a suit- 
able foundation upon which Christian- 
ity could build the firm and stable plat- 
form whereon all men may stand in 
equal light before the eyes of their Cre- 
ator. 

^^ Judge not that ye be not judged, for 
with what judgment ye judge, ye shall 
be judged.''— MaW. 771.1-2. 



76 



FAITH AS THE FOUNDATION. 

^^Let every man take heed how he 
buildeth thereupon/' — 1 Cor. 777.10. 

There is certainly no necessity for 
overstepping the laws of Nature in read- 
ing the Bible, so do not think yon must 
look far into the past to study the fu- 
ture, but keep its Light closer to your- 
self and your mind will soon grasp the 
true meaning of its parables and alle- 
gories and the truth of these great ob- 
ject lessons will assert itself in a more 
forcible manner than letters and words 

77 



WIT AND WISDOM 

can express. Therein yon will find tlie 
teaching that one cannot do for another 
nor shonlder his folly and sins, but that 
each mnst do for himself and work ont 
his own salvation, as the realization of 
Divine Trnth comes only throngh onr 
own efforts, and is proportioned to onr 
Faith. 

^' Every man shall receive his own re- 
ward, according to his own labor.'* — 1 
Cor, III.8. 

Taking into consideration the many 
wonderful accomplishments attained by 
the ancient gatherers of intelligence and 
builders of character, and the fact that 
man is a reasonable and progressive be- 

78 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ing, whose greatest achievements must 
be credited as a reward for his efforts 
in developing the talents with which he 
has been endowed, it would be ridiculous 
to assume that Nature has extended par- 
tiality toward any particular genera- 
tion. 

'^Say not thou, What is the cause that 
the former days were better than 
these? for thou dost not inquire wise- 
ly concerning this." — Ecd, VII. 10, 

The famous maxim ^^Man know Thy- 
self" inscribed on the walls of Delphi 
by an unknown hand, is perhaps the 
greatest mandate ever known, and still 
stands for the most perfect realization 
of God's precept vouchsafed to man. 

79 



WIT AND WIS330M 

The real meaning of this inscription can 
be little doubted, as the builders of char- 
acter among the ancients must be cred- 
ited with achievements which still mys- 
tify the intellectnal giants of the present 
age, and the accomplishment of Divine 
Eealization by the Prophets and Apos- 
tles have excited the curiosity and 
amazement of mankind for centuries un- 
til now we find believers and unbelievers 
by the million standing upon tiptoe look- 
ing for a solution and an explanation 
of the Scriptures and the origin of them. 
The man who wants to know that there 
will be a substantial result (material) in 
sight before he is willing to do anything 

80 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

by which he might receive the blessings 
of God merely represents the human 
mind unrestrained by Better and Higher 
promptings which is naturally vain, en- 
vious, selfish and sensual ; it seeks wealth 
and fame, honor and notoriety and wil- 
lingly sacrifices the man for the things, 
saying. These I can use to my enjoyment 
and comfort, which impersonates the 
materialistic miser piling his treasures 
upon the earth ^^ where moth and rust 
doth corrupt, and where thieves break 
through and steal" by which he has neg- 
lected to prepare for a home 

* ' in heaven, where neither moth nor rust 
doth corrupt and where thieves do not 
break through nor steal." — Matt. VI. 
20. 81 



WIT AND WISDOM 

The dominancy of this Mammonic 
principle in man places him on the per- 
ilous ledge of existence, hurling the 
lariat of Satanic greed around the neck 
of the ^^ Golden Calf" and typifies one 
of the two masters man may serve ; and 
well illustrates the ^^ Judas Iscariof 
demanding his thirty shekels of silver 
in advance, but willing to give up the 
idea when he found that it was his Sav- 
ior and his Redeemer that this principle 
had crucified. So in the allegory he re- 
turned the money, thereby acknowledg- 
ing his mistake. 

**No man can serve two masters: for 
either he will hate the one, and love 
the other; or else he will hold to the 
one, and despise the other. Ye can- 
not serve God and mammon.'' — Matt. 
77.24. 82 



OF CHRISTIAISriTY 

We should understand that there is no 
evil in possessing a goodly amount of 
money, but the sin is in neglecting our 
own salvation by making money our 
God, thus serving Mammon with all our 
hearts; for by devoting our entire ef- 
forts to acquiring wealth we certainly 
have no time remaining to cultivate the 
High Principles leading to Life, by 
which every man may become his own 
prophet, and ^^ prophesy according to 
the proportion of faith/' Rom. XIL6. 

And yet, in this age of enlightenment, 
we find that those devoting a portion of 
their time to Christian work are usually 
'^reviled" and ^^ persecuted'' by the 

83 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

servants of Mammon who still possess 
the Jewish idea of sin, which is now 
somewhat over two thousand years out 
of date. 

'^For so persecuted they the prophets 
which were before you. ' ' — Matt. VX2. 

That which is not understood requires 
an effort of man before it is overcome ; 
and the Lord helps only those willing to 
help themselves. 

We cannot expect to learn without be- 
ing instructed or find our destination 
without understanding the ^^Way" to 
it, and without understanding the Bible 
one cannot expect to know any more 
about his own soul than a student of 

84 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

physiology could expect to know about 
his physical body without the use of a 
text book ; and yet, without this informa- 
tion, claims are being made that the 
present century is the equal of any pre- 
ceding one in climbing the ladder of 
intelligence; but with due regard for the 
present exalted state of civilization, we 
are still opento instruction at the hands 
of our great and gifted progenitors. 

^' Stand still, and consider the wondrous 
works of God.''— Job XXXVII. U. 



85 



WIT AND WISDOM 



^^111 deeds are doubled with an evil 
wor d / ' — Shakespeare . 



'^Where the speech is corrupted; the 
mind is also/' — Seneca. 



^There are thousands hacking at the 
branches of evil to one who is 
striking at the root/' — Thoreau. 



'A man can no more be a Christian 
without facing evil and conquering 
it; than he can be a soldier without 
going to battle/' — Chapin. 



86 



CULTIVATING OUR FIELD. 

'^The kingdom of heaven is likened 
unto a man which sowed good seed 
in his field:''— Matt XIII M. 

Every man may properly be compared 
to a field wherein we are certain to find 
an unprofitable growth, called weeds, 
which, if allowed to thrive will prevent 
the natural and necessary development 
of a good product. This spontaneous 
growth must be continually uprooted 
and turned under by cultivation until 
the ^^corn" is sufficiently strong to per- 

87 



WIT AND WISDOM 

feet itself amid the ravages of adverse 
surroundings. 

Tlie task of uprooting is easily accom- 
plished when the weeds are small and 
the roots short, but by neglecting to 
cultivate the ^^good product/' the 
weeds becoming strong and powerful 
soon prevail, and the field produces 
nothing but an evil growth which is a 
disgrace to the community. By allow- 
ing their iniquitous seeds to scatter they 
so hamper the future generations that 
the *^good product" is finally overcome 
by evil or becomes extinct, 

''Therefore choose life, that both thou 
and thy seed may live. ' ' — Deut. XXX, 
19. 

88 



OF" CHRISTIANITY 

It is the duty of every man to culti- 
vate his own field and fulfill the Divine 
Law by bearing his own burden, and 
^^Cast away from you all transgressions, 
whereby you have transgressed. ''— 
Ezek. XF/7Z.31, thus affording every in- 
dividual the accomplishment of a great 
work, relieving the few from carrying 
a burden which should be borne by all, 
and making it comparatively easy to 
subdue evil. 



''The field is the world; the good seed 
are the children of the kingdom:'' — 
Matt. XIILS8. 



89 



WIT AND TTISBOM 

Evil is not prevented or abolished by 
telling a man that lie is bad. 






For there is not a just man upon 
earth, that doeth good and sinneth 
noV—Eccl VII, 20. 

Many insinuations have been cast, in- 
dicating the prevailing idea that censure 
will destroy that which has been cen- 
sured, we should understand, however, 
that evil will not kill evil, but multiply 
it. Therefore we are not to judge our 
fellow-man, or behold the ^^mote" in his 
eye, ^^ first cast out the beam out of thine 
own eye and then shalt thou see clearly 
to cast out the mote out of thy brother's 
eje.^^—Matt. VIL5. This teaches us 

90 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

where the ^^mote" really is, although we 
may disbelieve it. The sinful eye sees 
sinful things, therefore eradicate ^Hhis 
eye'' and no fault exists, as creation is 
perfect. 

By beginning to exterminate evil at 
its source in our own hearts, we find 
the only effective and enduring man- 
ner by which the world may be cleansed 
from sin, and each individual receive 
the Comforter. All evil is destroyed by 
each man destroying that which is 
within himself. This is the teaching of 
Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. 

The Bible teaches the invariability of 
nature, and its characters stand as great 

91 



WIT AND T7ISDOM 

object lessons intended for our benefit 
and guide today, tomorro\\' and through- 
out all time; but we, like the Jews of 
old, are unaware of its true meaning un- 
til we are enabled to realize it as Judas 
Iscariot did, after which we are willing 
to acknowledge our errors. 

'There is no new thing under the sun/' 
—Eccl. /.9. 

Man, being a volitional creature, and 
possessing the power of choice has a 
^^euler'^ within himself which deter- 
mines the choice. The ^^good" and 
^^eviP' propensities of man are always 
averse and contrary and wage a contin- 

92 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ual warfare for supremacy and domin- 
ion in the battle ground of the human 
heart where the ^^ tempter" and the 
^Hempted'' meet, and where Satan is 
vanquished by Christ. 

^^ Think not that I am come to destroy 
the law, or the prophets: I am not 
come to destroy, but to fulfil." — 
Matt. y.l7. 

The Biblical ^^ Pilate" represents a 
principle or factor in and of man, sym- 
bolizing the dictator or ruler of the will 
power, and as ^^our ruler" determines 
WHICH of these two great factors, 
playing such an important part in the 
existence and future welfare of every in- 

93 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

dividual, shall have dominion. The wise 
or foolish choice our ^'Pilate" makes is 
one of tremendous moment, as we are 
endowed with power and may choose to 
crucify our Divine Nature and allow our 
evil propensities to run at large. 

The Scriptures do not deal with tem- 
poral objects, but by losing sight of this 
important fact, the historical Pilate and 
the Jews have been indicted and con- 
victed at the modern bar of theological 
belief, and the illusory conception of a 
tragical crucifixion of Christ has in- 
duced us to load them with odium 
and calumny, wherein we should be suf- 
ficiently enlightened to understand that 

94 



OF CHRISTIAISriTY 

it is OUR iniquities which crucify Him 
aud that these deserve all the censure 
necessary to be administered. 

^^The thing that hath been, it is that 
which shall be ; and that which is done 
is that which shall be done." — Eccl. 
7.9. 



95 



WIT AND WISDOM 



'^Religion without morality is a super- 
stition and a curse; the only salva- 
tion for man is in the union of the 
two as Christianity unites them/' 
— Hopkins. 



^The true grandeur of humanity is in 
m.oral elevation, sustained, enlight- 
ened and decorated by the intellect 
of man/^ — Sumner. 



^To give a man a full knowledge of 
true morality, I would send him to 
no other book than the New Testa- 
ment/^ — Locke. 



96 



DEVELOPING MOEALITY. 

*^Be not overcome of evil, but overcome 
evil with good/ '— JSom. XII, 21. 

According to the Scriptures we find 
that new faculties are developed by cul- 
tivating a field called MOEALITY. 

This field has been considered an old 
one, in which we all profess to be work- 
ers, but the results show that the wrong 
field has been entered and cultivated, 
which necessitates our looking in an op- 
posite direction, where the great cyno- 

97 



WIT AND WISDOM 

sure of Christianity may be seen and the 
laborers prevented from gathering 
thorns in a field of sin. 

A mushroom may spring up in one 
night but the plant resulting from mor- 
ality is eternal and requires time and 
labor to produce and garner into posses- 
sion, but the value of it exceeds all the 
doctrines and theories of mushroom 
growth that ever did or ever will exist. 

This '^ plant" is a peculiar one and 
when possessed its owner realizes the 
GREAT value of it, and this is why it is 
not to be cast before swine, for they will 
not understand it and will trample it un- 
der foot. 

98 ' 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Morality, as applied to ourselves, 
represents the cake bestowed upon the 
vine which enables it to produce the 
FRUIT. Morality will produce a Chris- 
tian, but some believe that Christianity 
is smaller than morality and that Chris- 
tianity comes before morality but this 
places the cart before the horse and sup- 
plants the Home by the path leading to 
it. A man was never inspired by the 
Spirit of God without first purging the 
heart with the cleansing waters of moral- 
ity. 

When the doors of the heart open and 
true Christianity enters we will under- 
stand that MORALITY turned the key, 

L.ofC 99 



WIT A. N D WISDOM 

and that we have the Friend and Com- 
forter that has been the solace of mil- 
lions in all ages. 

^^A friend that sticketh closer than a 
brother.''— Prot;. XVIII. 24:. 

Nature is always patient and faith- 
fully struggles to correct the defects 
thrust upon her creatures through acci- 
dent or inadvertence and we should lend 
our assistance by refusing to court ab- 
normality as a natural method of devel- 
opment, but fully realize the enormity 
of it as applied to either the body or the 
mind. 

The claim that the future life is best 
known under abnormal conditions has 

100 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

been advanced and entertained by many, 
but any one allowing himself to harbor 
such ideas may as well assume that 
TRUE theology emanated from an asy- 
' lum. 

These modern seers may be very wise 
in making claims that their discoveries 
has placed the Bible upon a sure and 
solid foundation and according to their 
ideas a greater hold on the ^^old 
book'' will be necessary to prevent 
^^new sects" from springing up and 
taking away ^^both our place and na- 
tion" under the forms of worship dic- 
tated by ^'reason" instead of revelation. 
But from the fact that ^^ sects" have 

101 



WIT AND WISBOM 

indulged only in the antics of '^ spring- 
ing np'^ and subsisted for a time on the 
^^ husks'' common to the ^^ prodigal son" 
the world still recognizes Christianity 
as the pasture to which the multitudes 
turn with hungry souls after feeding 
upon ^^sect ideas." 

^^Be not deceived: evil communications 
corrupt good manners." — 1 Cor, XV, 
33. 

Personal views and opinions amount 
to no more at this late date than at the 
time Voltaire is said to have remarked, 
' ' I am tired of hearing it repeated that 
twelve men were sufficient to found 
Christianity ; I will show the world that 

102 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

one man is sufficient to destroy it,'^ still 
Christianity exists and is so great that 
derogatory insinuations made by those 
knowing so little about it has been en- 
tirely forgotten. 

There is no conceivable reason as far 
as logic is concerned why a blade of 
grass should grow, or why the planets 
appear and disappear with unerring 
regularity. We know these things to ex- 
ist, but why they exist, or why we exist 
is beyond the pale of logic, and reasons 
given for certain creations now exist- 
ing or to exist in the future is merely 
giving reasons when there are none to 
give. 

103 



WIT AND WISDOM 

We can figure out the problems of life 
logically but the logic gives us no satis- 
faction, and we know the problem has 
not been solved and continue figuring. 
But when we have solved it correctly we 
know it at once, and cease gathering 
theories of others for adoption and rest 
in the true Light. 

^'Be not carried about with divers and 
strange doctrines." — Heb, XIIL9, 

Let us not have the mind of doubting 
Thomas but be ^^ faithful and believing," 
as all we can expect to learn about these 
things, until we ^^know^^ ior ourselves, 
must be accepted from the experience of 
others, which, by the allegory, we are 

104 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

taught was a great impediment to 
Thomas. 

^ ' Iron sharpeneth iron ; so a man sharp- 
eneth the countenance of his friend.'' 
—Prov. XXVII.n. 

This alone should be sufficient to teach 
us that the true meaning of the Bible is 
lost by clinging to traditional beliefs, 
which are certain to create a false im- 
pression not suitable as a foundation 
upon which to build the superstructure 
of our hopes. 

^'The commandment is a lamp; and the 
law is Hght; and reproofs of instruc- 
tion are the way of life.'' — Prov. VI. 
23. 

MoEALiTY consists in strict obedi- 
105 



WIT AND WISDOM 

ence to the mandates of a righteous 
judge called conscience, who always 
presides and willingly informs us 
the ^^Way," nevertheless he is often 
disobeyed and we transfer onr welfare 
to his antagonist, and thus abandon the 
equities of conscience and serve Satan 
by entertaining the degrading principles 
of corruption. 

Many believe they cannot live without 
Satan, especially in the business world, 
but rich and poor from time immemorial 
have said that nothing was ever added 
to the world or gained by the individual 
members of it by dishonesty, and if their 
experience is a worthy criterion for us 

106 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

we are certainly welcome to the infor- 
mation. Dishonesty will make a man so 
small as to be invisible to his closest 
neighbor. 

By adhering to the promptings of the 
righteous judge the importance of his 
rulings for our welfare becomes more 
and more apparent until we are finally 
absolved from the last spot of iniquity, 
and our temple is cleansed and purified, 
when the heart is ^^born again" and re- 
ceives the true realization of Eternal 
Life, which pierces the ^^vail" accord- 
ing to 2 Cor. 111.16. 

^^In the way of righteousness is life; 
and in the pathway thereof there is 
no death,' '—Prov, XII. 28, 
107 



WIT AND WISDOM 

A proverb may contain a perfect ex- 
pression but a misconstruction placed 
upon it will not permit it to harmonize 
with anything in creation, and the mind 
following it will never see anything in 
it until it is willing to banish the phan- 
tom for the reality. 

Knowledge is acquired by being rea- 
sonable, and if we expect to understand 
the Bible by being unreasonable we will 
see nothing in it, and this fact should 
serve as an object-lesson to us, indicat- 
ing a caliber of perception too small to 
retain as a jewel for exhibition. 

The understanding is bewildered, 
smothered and at last forced to give up 

108 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

in despair in an attempt to make a real- 
ity out of a false belief, for the mind is 
a perfect creation and all attempts to 
make it believe an unreasonable thing is 
a natural impossibility. 

Eemorse and shame will iGiush the 
cheek at even an attempt to harbor and 
defend a suggestion contrary to '^our 
sense of truth" which always asserts it- 
self at the time of choice between good 
and evil. 

We should therefore seek to attain a 
high degree of Divine Knowledge, by 
looking into the Bible to strengthen our 
understanding, which will enable us to 
banish the false belief of our inability to 

109 



WIT A]Sri> ^i¥ISI>OM 

live and fulfill commands of unspeakable 
significance whicli lead to our destina- 
tion, for 

'^It is given unto you to know the mys- 
teries of the kingdom of heaven." — 
Matt, Xinil. 

Throughout the Scriptures, express- 
ing the work of many hands, there is no 
conflict in its inspired sense, from Gen- 
esis to Revelation, the proof of which 
has been a marvel to all ages and has 
given the work a place without a rival 
in the field of literature; therefore in 
looking at the Bible as a mysterious 
work, we are simply misinterpreting its 
meaning, the fault not being in the text 

110 



O W CHRISTIANITY 

but in our understanding of it, most of 
us failing to realize the altitude of hu- 
man attainment by which its sayings 
were conceived, which would fully en- 
able us to read it with understanding. 

Harmony and truth are basic prin- 
ciples of the universe and a religious 
fact will always fit a scientific fact, but 
is sure to wreck a train of false ideas 
wherever found. 

Science teaches us that water is al- 
ivays water, no matter in what form it 
may be disguised, whether in liquid, 
steam or ice, or whether it be absorbed 
by the rays of the sun and pass entirely 
beyond our sight. 

Ill 



WIT AND WISDOM 

It ridicules the idea of extinction re- 
gardless of appearances, and defends 
the stability of Nature, which preserves 
the identity of all forms and forces, 
thoroughly demonstrating that nothing 
is taken from or added to the universe. 

Appearances may change but the ele- 
ments constituting the combination 
never have, and never will, change. A 
man's body is composed of dust, but it is 
not the man. The body is merely, ^^the 
temple from which the Spirit speaks.'' 
—John 77.21. The Spirit is Life, while 
the body is dust. 

*^ There is a natural body, and there is 
a spiritual body. ' ' — 1 Cor. Zy.44. 

112 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

We should take heed and avoid the 
Jewish mistake of assuming the body 
to be the spirit. The association of 
these two elements, or the parting of 
them, does not destroy the identity of 
either, and the greater is not dependent 
upon the lesser for existence. 

*'Is not the life more than meat?" — 
Matt, VI.25. 

What is life today will be life tomor- 
row, and continue to be throughout all 
eternity. 

** Judge not according to appearances, 
but judge righteous judgment." — John 
VIIM. 

The Bible is the Book of Life, and 

113 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

deals with nothing except the principles 
of it. 

All the various principles found in the 
universe of nature are absolutely change- 
less, and the Bible deals with principles 
instead of the appearances, therefore 
the PRINCIPLE taught by the Bible 
is the keynote sounding the death-knell 
of traditional ideas, by which man is 
given the choice of a thousand creeds, 
any one of which purports to be the 
^^only'' true theory upon which to feed 
the soul to insure it a seat at the right 
hand of its Creator. 

''Henceforth be no more children, tossed 
to and fro, and carried about with 
every wind of doctrine." — Eph. 77.14 

114 



^ OOLOGIES'' AND ^^ISMS.'^ 

**Ye do err, not knowing the Scrip- 
tures. "—Mai^. XZZ/.29. 

We should understand the mind, but 
we should not allow it to be killed by tbe 
imagination; moreover we are still in 
the natural world and are not supposed 
to support the body on intangibility. 

Predictions that we will maintain the 
human body without eating has no sanc- 
tion in the economy of God, and is but 
the echo of an aberrated mind. 

** Every man should eat and drink, and 
enjoy the good of all his labour." — 
Eccl. III.13. 

115 



WIT AND WISDOM 

The Life that is supported by Faith 
does not refer to our body of flesh and 
blood, but to the soul which may be 
evolved into Life, thereby becoming self- 
existent and eternal like its Maker, 

*^The liberal soul shall be made fat." — 
Prov,XI.2b. 

Modern discoveries have exceeded the 
expectations of the most sanguine, but 
among them are to be found many de- 
generating and useless fascinations. The 
domain of the mind has been invaded, 
and the human reason suppressed by 
occult and esoteric hallucinations; and 
nearly all the '^ologies'^ and ^4sms^' 
floating about claim to be supported by 

116 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

the Bible, the adherents of them plac- 
ing a construction npon the Scriptures 
serving as ballast. 

Mesmerism is the father of hypnotism 
and hypnotism created suggestive thera- 
peutics; so healing by suggestion has 
been heralded throughout the world, and 
the hypnotist is not unknown even among 
the heathen. Suggestion and auto-sug- 
gestion is the acme of perfection as long 
as a man is not sick, and large doses of 
it produce antipathy for pathology and 
its alteratives, resulting in obstinacy 
and stubbornness by which thousands 
have sacrificed the lives of themselves 
and their children. 

117 



WIT AND WISDOM 

Fools and idiots cannot be hypnotized 
as they have no receiver in which a sng- 
gestion may be pnt, and the wise man 
cannot be hypnotized against his will, 
thus, through the kindness of Nature, 
every man in this respect is his own king 
and not subject to baneful influences ex- 
cept by his own choice. 

As no one is able to reach down and 
pick the snakes out of a drunkard's boots 
the most effective way remaining is to 
show him how he can take them out him- 
self, and if a man lacks the will power 
to leave off drinking, chewing tobacco 
and other vices, it is not supplied by 
hypnosis, but by a little greater courage 

118 



OF" CHRISTIANITY 

and a stronger effort of Ms own, and if 
he is nnable to do this he is too foolish 
to be hypnotized or healed by psycho- 
therapeutics. ^ 

Although the hypnotist never parts 
with any of his mentality to the subject 
he treats, yet each degenerate by the 
misuse and abuse of nature's gifts un- 
til the former becomes an idiotic nuis- 
ance and the latter a helpless victim of 
anyone desiring a public display of fool- 
ishness. 

Psychologists have divided the men- 
tality into two spheres with ^^assump- 
tion" for the dividing line, and to prove 
the assumption we are invited to take 

119 



WIT AND W^ISBOM 

into consideration and carefully view 
the ^^ divisions" of anatomy. 

Literature on the so-called ^^object- 
ive'' and ^^ subjective" minds of man, 
and the functions and duties accredited 
to each, have been read with much inter- 
est, but why an imaginary line should be 
conceived as existing in one mind, and 
a part of it designated mortal and the 
other immortal is an anomaly lacking 
the support of any hypothesis known 
to logic. 

A living chicken cannot be produced 
from half an egg, but if both halves be 
together and the line of division between 
them only imaginary, the imagination 

120 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

will neither aid nor prevent its unfold- 
ment into a living creature. Unimpor- 
tant errors never reverse a case, and 
though they may be the chief bone of 
contention among the litigants the court 
of appeals refuses to consider them al- 
together. 

If it were possible to leave alone the 
fads and illusions of the day long enough 
to get our true bearings, and then go by 
the Light given us in the Bible we would 
know a few things for ourselves, and 
would neither be the dupes of sugges- 
tion nor ragbags for delusions. 

The idea of the immortal soul being 
dependent upon some outside half of 

121 



WIT AND T^^ISDOM 

itself for an auto-suggestion to insure 
its immortality is a blow at tlie Higher 
forces with the hammer of materialism, 
having a vibration too low to be heard 
by worthy people. 

The ridiculous theory that the immor- 
tality of a child depends upon an auto- 
suggestion from its sense mind to its 
other half, which is termed the soul, 
must have been conceived in the awful 
dream that sometime the mighty law of 
suGGESTioiT might be lost and all men 
drift into perdition. 

Eevelation is better than telepathy, 
and makes no false vibrations on the ear. 
It is easy to dream that we hear a voice 

122 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

a hundred miles away but before we see 
it demonstrated we will see greater 
things than telepathy and will under- 
stand that it is not a fact. 

The Bible teaches us concerning the 
^^ natural" and ^^ spiritual" minds of 
men, but the ^^ modern sages" prefer to 
^^ speculate" and tell us what the Spirit- 
ual mind is, and in these attempts we 
find them all hanging themselves with 
their own ropes. 

By the laws of nature we find that 
nothing is done by halves; 

''When that which is perfect is come, 
then that which is in part shall be 
done away.''— 1 Cor. XIII. 10. 

123 



WIT AND WISDOM 

The natural mind is whole and com- 
plete in itself, and is no part of the spir- 
itual mind. To illustrate: An egg is 
an egg, but is no part of the chicken 
coming from it. First the egg and then 
the chicken, but without taking any 
pains to bring the chickens forth through 
the necessary process of incubation, the 
egg becomes stale and finally descends 
to the lowest regions, not because there 
was any fault in the egg, but because we 
permitted it to go to waste. The nat- 
ural mind of man represents the egg, 
while the Spiritual mind represents the 
^^LivnTG thin^g" coming from it, there- 
fore in hatching our eggs we should 

124 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

not wait until they die, expecting chick- 
ens from bad eggs. 

By ^^ unfolding/' the egg does not die 
but comes to life, and represents the 
plan of salvation which is to be fol- 
lowed out by man to realize and enjoy 
the great Truth of Christianity, where- 
by he is 

'* passed from death into life." — John 
F.24. 

The psychologists represent the egg 
trying to tell about the chicken, which 
is an impossibility, while the Apostle 
represents the chickek, which has a 
knowledge of what is iisr the egg. We 
represent the eggs. 

125 



WIT ANB WISBOM 

Order pervades the universe. The 
^^ natural mind" comes first and then the 
spiritual.— 7 Cor. ZF.44-46. The great 
majority are still ^^ naturally minded," 
but some have evolved sufficiently into 
LIFE to peep through the shells where 
js^ew things are seen and understood by 
the NEW creatures which Christianity 
brings forth. 

^^ Therefore, if any man be in Christ, 
he is a new creature." — 2 Cor. F.17. 

This represents, and illustrates, the 
coming forth of our real life and is 
called the first great miracle in the life 
of man, being symbolized in the Bible 
by the changing of the water into wine. 
126 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Wine is still used in the sacrament ta 
denote this GEEAT LIFE which is in- 
tended for the mortal aid of those will- 
ing to accept it. 

In the spring-time when all nature be- 
gins to awaken from the winter's slum- 
ber we have OUE '^Easter Day" and 
we thus perpetuate the true idea of our 
own unfoldment into LIFE, using an 
egg to illustrate the manner of it. 

This is the most perfect symbol of 
the resurrection known to figurative cus- 
tom, and the true meaning of Easter 
Day should not be lost; therefore do not 
lose yourself but receive the ' ' Crown of 
Life" by eesurrecting your mind after 

127 



WIT AND TTISBOM 

the manner indicated by the symbols, 
and 

*'be renewed in the spirit of your 
mind.''— E ph. IV. 23. 

Perhaps there is no parable of the 
Bible more confusing and less under- 
stood than that of ^^ Lazarus and his res- 
urrection/' but before launching out 
into the mid-ocean of understanding we 
are expected to know something about 
the details leading to it, and by under- 
standing the simple things first we will 
find ourselves better equipped to cope 
with the Greater Work. This process 
has always been foimd necessary, and 
the lack of a little patience, where much 

128 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

is required, has left the world with but 
a superficial understanding of the Bible, 
which compares its inhabitants with 
birds having wings, but with no knowl- 
edge of how to use them. 

The traditional idea of ^^resurrec- 
tion'' lias not only led the simple, but 
many of the wise, back into the wilder- 
ness of Egyptian darkness where each 
conceived imaginations without founda- 
tion or truth, either in Scripture or Na- 
ture. God does not violate His own 
laws, which have been unchangeable 
throughout all time; and before we can 
clearly understand the Scriptures it is 
necessary to brush away the mental cob- 

129 



WIT AND WISDOM 

webs resulting from pions credulity. 
The enlightenmeiit of man, and the sci- 
entific demonstrations of the world dur- 
ing the last century has turned a great 
search-light into the caves and caverns 
of religious monstrosities and revealed 
their fantastical nature, and today a man 
is not a Christian on account of his sup- 
erstitions but because he knows and 
understands what it really is. 

The Scripture words constitute a 
Light which if followed leads to Eternal 
Life, but without knowing anything 
about it we have no knowledge of the 
^^Way/' or even the least conception of 
the meaning of the Book. The Bible is 

130 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

the physiology of the soul, under whose 
precepts it develops into self-conscious- 
ness, as an infant evolves into a personal 
knowledge of its own living being, not 
at one time possessed, although living. 
The soul, like the infant, is alive but the 
study and understanding of the Bible 
quickens it into the self-knowledge of its 
own life, and this is called ETEENAL 
LIFE. , 

All ages have produced men and wom- 
en to whom the science of the soul has 
yielded its mysteries, but the stringency 
of laws relating to the exposition of 
ethereal Truth has been so pronounced, 
and the penalties so severe and shock- 

131 



WIT AND WISDOM 

ing as to leave ns with but fragments of 
a science which should be in possession 
of every individual. 

This science relates to the ^^ Higher 
State" of existence for man instead of 
^^ theories" about it. 

As the Bible is not based upon ^^ the- 
ory" we should not seek among theoret- 
ical elements expecting to find an ex- 
planation of its teachings, but adhere 
strictly to the Scriptures as they relate 
to the fundamental principles in the 
REAL LIFE of man, which to understand 
and live is to fulfill; it is the guide 
for every reader on the journey and 
bears practical results by giving man a 

132 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

knowledge of LIFE while he is yet liv- 
ing that he may continue to live; this 
being its aim, and the truth of it having 
been demonstrated we should consider it 
of sufficient importance to elicit the at- 
tention of all men at least to some de- 
gree. 

Time is too valuable for us to con- 
sume our talents in considering and pro- 
mulgating fanciful doctrines which fade 
away and leave us no shelter in the time 
of storm, and to believe in them does 
your soul no more good than the reading 
of a book of fairy tales. 

The soul is the ^^ pearl of great price/' 

133 



WIT AND WISDOM 

''The kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
merchant man seeking goodly pearls: 
who, when he had fonnd one pearl of 
great price, went and sold all that he 
had, and bought iV—MaU. XIII A5' 
46. 

The ''kingdom of heaven" represents 
the soul which the Apostle describes as 
being ^^ within us'' and to find the pearl 
is to enter the kingdom of heaven, which 
the Prophets and Apostles did preceding 
their earthly demise and commanded us 
to do likewise. 

The mission of the Master was to Ee- 
deem and Save us by showing us the 
^'Way" to save ourselves, which is 
clearly pointed out that we may have 

134 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

positive knowledge upon the greatest of 
all problems. 

'^For what is a man profited, if he shall 
gain the whole world, and lose his own 
soulV— Matt. XVL26. 

Misunderstanding, disbelief and cred- 
ulity have been the ruling factors and 
millions are standing as Christians with- 
out knowing why they stand and are 
overcome by the ^^ great destroyer" in- 
stead of overcoming it, as the early 
Christians did by the practicality of 
Christianityc 

^^The simple believeth every word: but 
the prudent man looketh well to his 
going." — Prov. XIV. 15. 

135 



T\^IT AND A^ISI>OM 

The Creator has given every man a 
head which is supposed to be filled by 
himself with intelligence and wisdom, 
and not merely kept as an empty re- 
ceptacle for receiving and reverberating 
the ideas of other men who may have 
large heads ^^ puffed up by vanity ^^ 

'^They trust in vanity, and speak lies.'' 
75. LIXA. 

expressing the fascinating but narrow 
ideas which have resulted in such great 
disaster to the millions of small and 
wavering ^^ones" who have agreed with 
them because ''iVs so soothing and rest- 
ful" to allow the brains of others to 
carry the intelligence. 

136 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Therefore the multitude continually 
allow themselves to be fleeced by the 
shepherds of vanity, not only of the 
daily stipend so necessary for temporal 
advancement and physical maintenance, 
but are induced to take stock in mon- 
strous claims, by which the mission of 
the Savior is usurped by those assuming 
to be a reincarnation of some paraboli- 
cal prophet ingeniously professing to 
possess the power to Save. 

^^Then if any man shall say unto you, 
Lo, here is Christ, or there, beHeve it 
not. For there shall arise false 
Christs, and false prophets, and shall 
show great signs of wonders; in so 
much that, if it were possible they 
shall deceive the very elect.'' — Matt. 
ZXZy.23-24. 

137 



WIT AND WISDOM 

By depending upon them to lead us 
into the ^^ Promised Land" we not only 
forsake the Master and his precepts, but 
our own culture, individuality and man- 
hood and sell the birthright of our souPs 
redemption to ^^ ravening wolves" for a 
^^ morsel of meat," and become the de- 
pendent and helpless sheep which are 
scattered and lost. 

*^And thou slialt know that I the Lord 
am thy Savior and thy Redeemer.'" — 
Isaiah LX.16. 

Those possessing mental freaks claim 
an irreconcilable conflict between sci- 
ence and religion, but this reminds 
one of the schoolboy who was so certain 



OF* CHRISTIANITY, 

he had solved the problem correctly that 
he questioned the veracity of the num- 
bers. 

These Solons of intelligence may know 
something about science and a little 
about religion, but if they understood 
either the one or the other they would 
know that there is no conflict between 
them. Sometimes we find them posses- 
sing great knowledge of science but ap- 
plying the facts of it to religious illu- 
sions which ^Hhey'' call facts, which re- 
sults in a small idea, which, when ex- 
pressed, determines the size of the head 
and dispenses with the phrenological 
tape commonly used for the purpose. 

139 



WIT AI^B WISDOM 



^'Strong reasons make strong actions. 
Good reasons must, of course, give 
place to better/' — Shakespeare, 



^^Reason is our intellectual eye, and 
like the bodily eye it needs light to 
see; and to see clearly and far it 
needs the light of Heaven.'' 



''God, who has given the Bible, has 
also given us our reason with which 
to examine and understand it; and 
we are guilty before Him if we bury 
this talent in the earth and hide our 
Lord's money." — Clarke, 



140 



THE EEASONS WHY. 



*^Let every man be fully persuaded in 
his own mind." — Bom. XIV. 5. 



The idea entertained and more or less 
exploited that the true understanding of 
tlie Bible has been purposely veiled from 
the human mind, for the reason that it 
would be inexpedient to divulge it, cer- 
tainly savors of the same selfish strain 
exhibited by the old time family prayer, 
for 'His four and no more.'' 

This assumption is too narrow and 
ridiculous to be seriously considered, as 

141 



WIT A N 1> W I S I> O M 

its truth would prevent the sinner from 
a knowledge of the very thing intended 
for his own salvation. Wherever this 
idea originated it has had a signal influ- 
ence upon those who neglect to find out 
for themselves tha^ such is not the case. 
Investigation shows us, however, that 
one acquires no impression of the ^^ hid- 
den wisdom" of the Bible by attempt- 
ing to consider it a relation of historical 
miracles; and those viewing it from a 
literal and historical point of view can 
gain no clearer idea of it than the chil- 
dren of Israel had of the sayings of 
Moses ; still after reading parts of it we 
find this class exhibiting their ^'carnal 

142 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

minds ' ' to the public by antagonizing 
the reading of it even in the schools of 
learning. 

''The natural man reeeiveth not the 
things of the spirit of God: for they 
are foolishness unto him.'' — 1 Cor, 
ILU, 

Numberless readers have been exceed- 
ingly amazed because they could not 
acquire a true knowledge of the Old Tes- 
tament, entirely overlooking the neces- 
sity of attaching any significance to such 
plain language as used in II Cor. III. 
12-16, wherein it plainly states that ^^ un- 
til this day remaineth the same vail un- 
taken away in the reading of the Old 

143 



WIT ANB WISDOM 

Testament^ ' ' also telling how this ' ' vail ' ' 
shall be taken away; and in the same 
chapter informs us, in words equally 
plain that ^Hhe children of Israel could 
not steadfastly behold the face of Moses 
for the glory of his countenance" and 
that ^^ their minds were blinded." The 
same meaning of which is derived from 
the Old Testament, Exodus XXXIV. 
29-35, wherein it states that ^^all the 
children of Israel saw Moses, behold, 
the skin of his face shone," ^^and till 
Moses had done speaking with them he 
put a vail on his face." In binding 
these facts together with the explana- 
tion given in Eccl. VIII.l where we find 

144 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

stated that ^^a man's wisdom maketh his 
face to shine, and the boldness of his 
face shall be changed," we certainly 
should be able to derive some explana- 
tion as to the reason why the face of 
Moses presented the symbolized appear- 
ance to the children of Israel. 

The great mistake is made in trying 
to understand all the parables and alle- 
gories used in the Scriptures without 
taking into consideration such important 
passages as found in I Gor. 1.19-29, 
wherein it is plainly stated that ^^God 
hath chosen the foolish things of the 
world to confound the wise" ; ^^the weak 
things of the world to confound the 

145 



TV^IT ANB WISDOM 

things which are mighty"; ^^base things 
of the world and things which are des- 
pised," *^yea, and things which are not, 
to bring to nanght things that are," and 
yet people try to imagine historical char- 
acters to fit fanciful ideas and continue 
to believe in traditional events, attempt- 
ing to grasp the entire scope of the 
Scriptures by an immediate conclusion 
too shallow to comprehend the depth of 
inspiration they contain, wherein they 
should only attempt to progress step by 
step to the end of the journey, which is 
the true method, and is certain to be 
slow but safe. 

''Because they sought it not by faith/' 
''they stumbled at that stumbhng 
stone. ' ' — Romans IX. 32, 
146 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

Most of us seem to overlook the fact 
that the strength of our faith has 
^^ everything" to do with our under- 
standing of the Scriptures. Therefore 
we should take into consideration the 
fact that unless we are willing to ac- 
cept the DIVINE truth embodied in 
Scripture teachings and realize its true 
meaning we are still among those ^^ with- 
out" who are only able to view them as 
parables ^Hhat seeing they might not 
see, and hearing they might not under- 
stand. "-L^iA:e F///.10. For 

''Unto them that are without, all these 
things are done in parables." — Mark 
77.11. 

147 



WIT AND WISDOM 

Those expecting Divine Wisdom with- 
out ^ burning to the Lord'^ by a study 
of His Word in the Sciiptnres, represent 
the ^^ Children'^ fishing on the wrong 
side of the boat, catching nothing all 
night, but by hearkening to the voice of 
the Master they cast their net on the 
EIGHT side, and the grand result is 
symbolized and recorded in the last 
chapter of John. 

^^ Behold, what manner of love the 
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we 
should be called the sons of God!''- — 
1 John nil. 

By banishing limited and primitive 
ideas from the mind and opening a will- 

148 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ing and receptive heart, the ^^ Light'' 
will soon come into it, and you will know 
more about him in a single moment by 
His presence than by ages of scholastic 
speculation. 

'^When Christ, who is our life, shall ap- 
pear, then shall ye also appear with 
him in glory." — Col. Ill A. 

You can only be told how you may 
know him for yourself, and it then re- 
mains with you to decide whether you 
will or not. 

**If any man will do his will, he shall 
know of the doctrine." — John 7/7.17. 

149 



WIT AND WISDOM 

No one can see Him for you, or ade- 
quately depict the glory of His presence, 
for all these things are accomplished 
through Faith. 

' ' We have not followed cunning devised 
fables, when we made known unto you 
the power and coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ." — 2 Peter /.16. 



150 



GUESSING AND KNOWING. 

'* After that faith is come, we are no 
longer under a schoolmaster." — Gal, 
771.25. 

No man can talk intelligently upon a 
subject he knows nothing about, and the 
intuitive perception of mankind is so 
keen and accurate as to detect and repel 
the errors although it may be impossible 
to give reasons therefor. 

Any one can make a guess, but if you 
know a thing you have no hesitancy in 
stating it to be a fact— as a scholar de- 

151 



WIT AND WISDOM 

clares twice eight to be sixteen and has 
no misgivings as to its trnth— bnt the 
one not knowing can only speculate until 
he has acquired the necessary knowl- 
edge. 

One knows and the other does not; 
one speaks according to his knowledge, 
while the other speaks words of uncer- 
tainty. 

By reading a few religious statements 
made by different characters in the 
world ^s history, we can understand very 
quickly whether they ^ ^possessed" 
Christianity or only had ideas about it. 

The world has always had three 
classes of people: One knowing noth- 

152 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

ing whatever about Christianity, an- 
other that knew all about it, and still a 
larger class that knew something about 
it. 

The ones knowing ^^all" about it 
spoke according to their knowledge, and 
the ones knowing nothing about it have 
said ^-nothing" about it, although they 
have made many attempts to. The oth- 
ers have had more or less knowledge of 
it, some reflecting small rays, while the 
greater possessions of it have always 
reflected larger ones. The manner in 
which the small light afforded by the in- 
tellect is overcome by another so much 
greater as to make the small one appear 

153 



T\^IT AND WISDOM 

^^ blind" is beautifully symbolized by the 
Great Light which came to Saul on his 
way to Damascus by which the ^^ natur- 
al" or ^^ carnal" mind became a servant 
to the ^^ spiritual mind." This typifies 
the true conversion in store for all men 
by which they become endowed with 
NEW faculties. NEW creatures are de- 
serving of a new name; as symbolized 
by Saul's conversion after which he was 
called Paul. 

'^To be carnally minded is death; but 
to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace.''— Bom. VIIL6, 

After this event in life man no longer 
condescends to be led by the ^^ small 

154 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

light/' but takes the lead and says, 
** Follow Me/' The Bible refers exclu- 
sively to the GEEAT LIGHT, while history 
is the result of events connected with the 
domains viewed by the ^^ small one/' 

^'Walk while ye have the light, lest 
darkness come upon you. ' ' — John XII, 
35. 

We have been pleadingly asked to do 
His will, that we might enjoy the bless- 
ings of a higher state of existence, there- 
fore let us feed the soul with the ** Bread 
from Heaven" until it blooms into per- 
fection and embodies the Eternal Knowl- 
edge of Life, uncontaminated and un- 

155 



WIT AND WIS DO M 

fettered by tangling creeds, sheltered by 
the intellects and supported by tbe 
pnrses of men. 

^'When thou prayest, enter into thy 
closet, and when thou hast shut thy 
door, pray to thy Father which is in 
secret; and thy Father which seeth in 
secret shall reward thee openly." — 

Matt. y/.e. 

The prevailing idea that Christianity 
is a belief instead of a fact has had 
much to do in curtailing the knowledge 
of it. 

The belief of Christianity to be a mere 
code of ethics or mythical hope, the re- 
ward of which is beyond the tomb instead 

156 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

of KOW, WHEN WE NEED IT, is OHG of the 

most successful illusions ever perpetu- 
ated by posterity. 

** There is no knowledge'' ^^nor wis- 
dom, in the grave." — Eccl. ZX.IO. 

The idea of waiting until we are dead 
for a Savior is too ridiculous to be en- 
tertained as a common heritage among 
enlightened nations. 

The Bible teaches that we are to know 
our Savior noiv, but this seems to be 
questioned by those expecting to die and 
be saved after death. 

^ ^ If I wait, the grave is mine house : I 
have made my bed in the darkness." 
—Job. XVIL13. 

157 



WIT AND WISDOM 

The reward of the doubter is distant, 
while it is comparatively easy for the 
Faithful to find the treasure, and in look- 
ing back over the centuries we find that 
every age and generation to some ex- 
tent, have found the Hidden Treasure 
and been inspired by His Light, and we 
have their writings concerning Him in 
sixty-six books. 

'^Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, 
and read : no one of these shall fail. ' ' — 
Isaiah XXXIV.16. 

If we prefer to ignore these truths un- 
der the present advantages of enlighten- 
ment within the reach of all, we are 

158 



OF CHRISTIANITY 

merely looking for someone to save us 
instead of saving ourselves. 

'^Let us hear the conclusion of the whole 
matter: Fear God, and keep his com- 
mandments ; for this is the whole duty 
of man/'— JSccL XII. 13. 

THUS ENDETH OIJR FIRST LESSOIT. 

'^We shall not all sleep, but we shall all 
be changed."—! Cor. XF.Sl. 



159 



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